Combination valve, drier, and strainer



Sept. 3, 1929. J. o. CARREY 1,726,805

COMBINATION VALVE, DRIER, AND STRAINER Filed Aug. 25, 1926 umy valve device.

Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,726,805 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 0. CARREY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO C. & C. ENGINEERING CO., INC., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION`OF MISSOURI.

l COMBINATION VALVE, DRIER, AND STRAINER.

Application liled. August 25, 1926. Serial No. 131,459.

This invention relates to a combined pres- Sure-valve, drier, and strainer, the objects of the invention being to provide a device for use especially in connection with domestic refrigerating apparatus, whereby not only,

the flow of the refrigerant is automatically controlled bythe pressure prevailing in the refrigerating system but the refrigerant is strained to prevent foreign substances from entering the system and is then filtered through suitable absorbent material to abstract moisture-therefrom before admitting said refrigerant to the circula-ting system of the apparatus.

Further objects of the invention are to simplify the construction of a device of the class described so as to facilitate the assembly and construction thereof and eliminate the use of separate filters and strainers, thereby enabling the manufacture of such devices in an economical manner.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a valve device in which the flow of refrigerant is controlled by the difference in pressures prevailing in the outlet chamber of the device vand the interior of the expansible member, which latter i`s disposed in said outlet chamber and operates suitable valve means for controlling the communication between the inlet and outlet chambers, and, further to provide means for regulating the pres-s sure in Isaid expansible member with respect to the (pressure in the chamber in which said expansible member is located so as to render saiddevice adjustable for operation at varilous pressures.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through Figure 2 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmental view of the device showing a modified form of a strainer.

In the operation of refrigerating apparatus, it is desirable to have automatic valve means in then circulatory connections of theA apparatus for controlling the admission of refrigerant thereto so as to maintain the refrigerant at predetermined pressures.

It is further desirable to circulate pure re frigo-rant only, as any water found in the rey frigerant and permitted to enter coils of the system will be frozen, thereby clogging and stopping the circulation of the refrigerant and rendering the apparatus unfit for use.-

To this end I provide a valve having an' enlarged inlet chamber containing suitable filtering material which absorbs the moisture contained in the refrigerant so that only pure refrigerant leaves the inlet -chamber of the valve.l

Referring by numerals `to the accompanying drawings, 10 indicates a casing consisting of a pot 11, the upper end of which is closed vby a cover plate 12 which is securedto the flanged portion 11'l by suitable fastening devices 14. The interior of casing 10 is divided by a plate 15 into a receiving or inlet chamber 16 and a discharge or outlet chamber 17. Member 15 is flanged as indicated at 15a and said flanged portion is interposed between flanges 11 and 12, there being suitable packingv 18 provided so as to hermetically seal the chambers 16 and 17. Chamber 16 which is located in the lower end of casing 1() is comparatively large and has arranged therein a screen or strainer 19 which is attached to member 15 and is spaced from the annular wall 11b of pot 11, thereby providing an annular space 20 into which leadsan inlet connectionl 21 through which the refrigerant is Y 'means of communication between the annular chamber 20 andinner chamber 24 formed by tubular extension 19 is through strainer .19 and the annular space 25 formed in said strainer. This space is filled with suitable moisture absorbing material 26 such as fused crystals of calcium chloride so -that the refrigerant passin through said space will `filter through sai material and any moisture contained in the refrigerantisabsorbed thereby and only pure refrigerant:` is allowed to enter chamber 24. Strainer 19 not only acts as a suitable container for the absorbent material but also prevents foreign substances which mayv have found their way into chamand operable to seat or unseat said valve 29 in accordance with the pressure prevailing in said chamber 17. This expansible member preferably comprises two diaphragm disks 31 and 32 sealed together at their annular edges as indicated at 34. The lower disk 31 has secured thereto a boss portion or enlargement 31a in which is seated one end of a stem 35, while the other end of said stern extends through valve opening 27 and has fixed there to valve 29. The upper disk 32 is provided with an enlargementv32 in which y,is fixed the lower end of a hollow stem 36 which extends upwardly a suitable distance above plate 12 and has its outer end opening into a chamber 37 formed in a bulb or reservoir member 38. This member is fixed to the upper end of stem 36 and preferabl consists of two members 38n and 38h having interengaging annular anges which are preferably soldered together as indicated at 39 in order to hermetically seal chamber 37.

Opening into chamber 37 and seated 1n the upper member 38"v is a valve40 having a valve opening 41 opening to the atmosphere. Thls valve opening is closed by a spring pressed ball or closure member 42. By means of this valve 40 the pressure in chamber 37 and chamber 30 of expansible member 30 can be regu-' lated so as to provide the desired difference in pressure prevailing in chamber 3()al and chamber 17 1n order to insure operation of valve 29 when the'pressure in chamber 17 rises or falls below a predetermined degree. In addition to controlling the ressure in chamber"30l said expansible mem r 30 may be adjusted in vertical plane with respect to valve opening 27, stem 36 being provided with a threaded portion 44 which is screw-seated in a threaded bore 45 of a boss 46 which latter is secured to plates 12 and extends' upwardl therefrom. This bo'ss 46 is exteriorly threa ed for receiving a cap 47 there being suitable packing materlal 48 arranged between said cap and the upper end of boss 46 so as to rovide a fluid-ti ht seal for the stem 36. he bottom wall o pot 11 is provided with a screw lug 49 for providing access to chamber 24 an to valve 29.

When in use, inlet connection 21 has con-` nected thereto the discharge end 50 of the condenser of the refrigerating apparatus, and the outlet connection 28 has connected thereto the receiving end 51 of the expansion coil. Refrigerant is now admitted to chamber 20 and passes through strainer 19 and filtering material 26 into inner chamber 24./ Assuming now that valve 29 is unseated, the refrigerant will pass through opening 27 into chamber 17, thence through pipe 51 to the expansion element of the refrigerating apparatus. When the pressure in chamber 17 reaches a predetermined degree, due to the expansion of the refrigerant, such pressure ywill cause expansible member 30 to collapse and as the upper disk 32 thereof is held immovable by stem 36, lower disk 31 will be moved upwardly, thereby seating valve 29 and closing opening 27 so that no refrigerant can pass into chamber 17. The communication between chambers 16 and 17 will be interrupted until the pressure in the latter is reduced to such an extent as to allow the pressure in chambers 30".l and 37 to expand member 30, thereby unseating valve 29. The pressure prevailing in chamber' 3()EL and the communicating chamber 37 is fixed with respect to the pressure prevailing in chamber 17 and thereby causing expansible movement of`member 30 and the consequent unseating of 'valve 29 sov whenever the pressure in chamber 17 falls Y,

below a predetermined degree. This fixed pressure in chamber 30a. can be varied by means of valve 40 so as to insure operation of valve 29 at the ap ropriate time and also to enable the use of) vice in conjunction with apparatus operating under various pressures.

4If desired, chambers 3()al and 37 may be placed under vacuum or partial vacuum, thereby rendering said device responsive to very slight pressure. Valve 30 is so constructed that when the connection is fitted to said valve to increase or decrease the pressure in chamber 37 valve 42 -may be unseated by said connection through bore 41. When my improved valve depropcrpressure has been obtained in chamber l 37, said valve 40 may be sealed by'placing a drop of solder on said valve as shown in the drawing.

B placing the expansible member under pre etermined constant pressure with respect to the chamber in which it is located, said expansible member will be operated in accord! bulb member on the outer end of the hollow stem provides a reservoir for receiving part of the fluid when the expansible member occupies retracted position and also provides means for regulating the fluid pressure in said expansible member.

In the modified form shown in Figure 4; strainer 19 is formed on the bottomwith a beaded portion 19b which spaces said bot-tom from bottom wall of container 1l thus providing additional space 20a so that the refrigerant can enter the strainer from the bottom as well as the sides. The beaded portion 19b which is formed adjacent to the chamber 24 forms a close lit with the inturned flange of central boss 49 and seats the joint therebetween so that the refrigerant has to pass through the absorbent material 26. j The latter preferably consists of fused calcium chloride but other material'may be used if so desired.

A valve device constructed according to my invention is highly responsive to the pressure difference, has a wide range of adjustment, and is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain. y

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that minor changes can be made and substituted for those herein shown'and described, without depart-ing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a valve device for refrigerating ap-l paratus the combination of a casing comprising a pot,a cover therefor, and a partition wall arranged in said pot and` dividingr the interior thereof into a lower inletV chamber and an upper outlet chamber, lvalve means for controlling the communication between said chambers, a hollow expansible member disposed in said outlet chamber and connected to said valve means, said expansible member being maintained under a fixed predetermined iuid pressure with respect to tle fluid pressure prevailing in said outlet chamber whereby said expansible member is actuated to open and close said valve means in a definite relation with the pressure-prevailing in said outlet chamber, and automatically closed means for varying said fixed fluid' pressure in said expansible member. i

2. A valve device for refrigerating apparat-us comprising a casing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, valve means for controlling the communication between said'chambers, an expansible member disposed in said outlet chamber and connected tol said valve means, said expansible member,l

being under a fixed predetermined pressure with respect to the pressure prevailing in said outlet chamber, whereby said expansibley said outlet chamber, whereby said expansible member is actuated to open and close said valve means in a definite relation with the pressure prevailing in said outlet chamber, a bulb member fixed to the outer end of4 said hollow stem and having the latter opening thereinto, and normally closed valve means in said bulb member for affording communication with said expansible member to vary the fixed pressure thereof.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination with the condenser element and expansion element thereof, of a casing comprisingan open -topcontainer, a partition wall arranged therein in sealed engagement therewith and dividing the interior thereof into a lower inlet chamber connected to said condenser element and into an upper outlet chamber connected to said expansion element, a

cover in sealed engagement with said partitiony wall for closing said upper chamber, valve means for controlling the communication between said chambers, and moisture-ab-l sorbing chemical arranged in said inlet chamber for extracting moisture from the refrig-` erant before the latter is admitted to saidoutlet chamber.

5. `A differential pressure valve comprising i inV combination a casing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, valve means for controlling the communication between said chambers, an expansible member arranged in said outlet chamber and sealed relative thereto, said expansible member being maintained under a predetermined fluid pressure with respect to the pressure in said outlet chamber, whereby the difference in pressures in said expansible member and said outlet chamber will actuate said expansible memberto open or close said valve means, a hollow stem fixed to said expansible member and adjustably mounted in said casing for adjusting said expansible member in vertical plane relative to said valve means, and a hollow enlargement on theouter end of said stem and communicating with the interior of said expansible member for forming a reservoir -for receiving the excess fluid from said expansible member. Y

6. A differential pressure valve comprising in combination a casinghaving an inlet 4chamber and an outlet chamber, valve means for controlling the communication between said chambers, an expansible member arranged in said outlet chamber and sealed relative thereto, said expansible member being maintained under a predetermined fluid pressure with respect to the pressure. in said outletI chamber whereby the difference in. pressures in said' expansible member and said outlet chamber will actuate said expansible member to open or close said valve means, a hollow stem fixed t0 said expansible member and adjustably mounted in said casing for adjusting said expansible member in vertical plane relative to said valve means, a hollow enlargement on theouter end of said stem and communicating with the interior of said expansible member for forming a reservoir for receiving the eXcess fluid from said expansible member, and valve means in said enlargement to establish communication between said expansible member and the exterior of said casing said valve means normally hermetically sealed. Y

f7. In a device of the class described, the

p combination of a sealed casing comprising a cexaminerhaving a flanged open top, an annu- -lmrly flangedv partition disposed in saideontdiner andvdividingthe interior thereof into a'vl'owerinlet chamber and an upper outlet chamber, thelange of said partition having a sealed joint with the flange of said con- ;tainer, an annularly flanged cover having a sealed joint with said partition and closing the upper end of said outlet chamber, said chambers being provided respectively with being inlet and outlet connections adapted to be connected to a condenser element and an eX- pansion element, respectively, and fused crystals of calcium chloride arranged in said inlet. chamber in the path of travel of the refrigerant passing from one of said elements t0 the other whereby moisture containedin said refrigerant is absorbed by said chcmical and prevented from circulating with said 45 refrigerant. v

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of' 4a casing, tainer providedwith an annular-1yE flanged'y open top, an annularly' flanged. 1 partition member having its interlnediate port-ion de-v pressed so as to occupy position spaced from said top and dividing the interior of said container into a lower inlet chamber and an upper outlet chamber, whereby said casing is adapted to be connectedto the circulating system of a refrigerating apparatus between the condenser and expansive elements there.y of; pressure operated` valvemeans for controlling communication between saidfchambers, a screenmember arranged in saidinlet chamberin spaced relation therewith, and a moisture absorbent chemical held by said screen member in the path of travel of the refrigerant passing through said casing, whereby water contained in the refrigerant isabsorbed by said absorbent chemical and prevented from entering said expansion element.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 21st. dayot' August, 1926.

JOHN o. CARREY.

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